Method of and means for producing reed fabric and the like



M. a. .LLOYD lemon or AND MEANS ron rnonucme REED FAsMc AND mm: mm

Filed June' 5, 1920 INVENTUR.

r'lme'aa'gmuburns LLOYD.

WITNESSES:

ATTDRNEY.

Patented Mar. 30, 1926.

UNITED STATES A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

MARSHALL BURNsLLoYn, or -MENOMINEE, 1\IICHIGAN,ASSIGNOB, 'BY- innsnn ASP SIGNMENTS, T0 HEYWOOD-WAKEFIELD COMPANY, or osron, MASSACHUSETTS,

METHOD or Ann mnnns FOR PRODUCING enn rnnnio Ann Tran-Linn; j

Application filed June 5,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARsHALLfBUnNs LLOYD, a citizen of the United States, and. a resident of Menominee, county of'Menominee, and State of Michigan, have invented a certain new, useful, and Improved Method of and Means for Producing Reed Fabric and the like, of which the following 1s a specification.

1 duction of reed fabric which is composed of spaced relatively rigid stake members around which relatively flexible filler strands are intertwined, and my invention embraces both the natural reed and the so-called fibre reed.-

, It is an object of my invention toprovide a methodand means whereby 'fabric of thev rapidity and at low cost. I e ,Another' object of my invention is to pro.-.

above character canbe produced with great fabric which shall be practisable by- 11nskilled labor, andtoyprovide mechanism of simple and durable construction wherewith to practice the method. "It: is also. an object of my invention to provide a method and apparatus'wherewith fabric can, be produced withoutsubjecting either the stakes or filler strands to strains or forces likely. to split or injure them.

My ,inventlon consists/generally in the 'steps, acts, and statedsequence thereof, and

in the means for" performing such acts, whereby the above named objects, together with others that will appear hereinaftenare attainableg'and my invention will, be more readily understood by reference to theac-" companying drawings which illustrate what I consider, at the present time, to be the preferable mode of procedure and suitable p into'place itwill pass down the opposite sides mechanism for practising thelinvention.

.In sa'id'drawings: I a

. Fig. 1 is a side elevation of apparatusembodying the invention.

; Fig. 2 is :anendlevation thereof. 7 V

' Fig. .3 is an enlarged-view taken substam tially on the line'A of Fig. .1. i

Fig. 4 is adetail sectional View substantially onthe line Xe-X of Fig. 1. f i

Fig. 5'is adetail sectional view .substan g tially on the line YY of Fig.

My 'nvention relates generally to the pro- 1920. Serial No. 386.832;

in the form in which I when using fibre'reedg Y I Fig. 7 is a detail sectional'view illustrating means for shaping reedfil l t d Fig. 8 is a detailsectional view illustrating means for shaping the fibre reed filler? strands and Fig. 9 is a detailfragmentary view ontl'refl line Z of Fig. 1. r As before stated, reed fabrics are produced from two separate materials, one being the i natural reed and the other fibre reed. 7 While the general 'characteristics of these materials are similar, they vary in some respects. ;The

natural reed is less pliablethan theffibre I reed andthedanger of cracking of splitting is greater. propose to handle the natural reed and the fibre reed in the same general way butjt'o' modify the method slightly, better to conform'lto the characteristics of the respective materials. In thefproductio'n of reed fabric. under-[my] methodl' I provide.

means for holding ailarge number of-st akef stakes, i. egpassfover' and under desired stakes "without placing it under tension 03 111 anywise straining the stakes orthe filler injdesired-spacedrelation, and'for moving certain. of the stakes" away from the" plane of the others atwhich timellin'sert a prestrands. Thereafter the" group of stakes, 7

moved from'their initial plane in one direction are moved inthe'opposite direction past their initial plane thus forming a shed such.

that. when another filler strand is dropped of the stakes with respect to the previously inserted filler strand. By thus conditioning the filler strand, it becomes possible success.- fully to form at one operationafabric of extremely great width and without? danger ofv kinking, breaking, injuring or, splitting either the stakes orthe filler strands,

Havingthus described the general mode of procedure I shall describe in detail the herein disclosed mechanism. 7 1

Referring to Fig. 7, 2 is a lower die memher and 3 an upper die member which are formed with undulatory face portions 2 and 3 respectively.

Means (not shown) are provided for separating the upper and lower die members and when in their separated condition a filler strand iis inserted and when the die members are brought together the initially straight filler strand is given an undulatory form. The die mechanism shown-m'F 1g. r s of the form that I prefer to use when conditioning the natural reed filler strands, i. e. the face of the dies is provided with gentle curves so that the filler strand can be formed without danger of splitting it. The general undulatory form u of the filler strand is probably better shown 2 in the enlarged view-Fig. 3

prefer to use when shaping a fibre reed.

filler strand for the reason that fibre reed is considerably more pliable and must be given a somewhat more definite angular shape in order to maintain its cr'imped' form;

' The filler strand resulting from the action of the die arrangement shown in Fig. 8 is depicted in Fig. 6. V

Referring nowparticularly to Figs. 1 and 2, 5 and 6 represent end frame members which are cross-connected andv held indea sired spaced relation by the bar 7 The bar 7 7,"as is probably ,best shown in' FigQ et, has an-upstanding rearwardportion 7 and slightly spaced therefrom will befound a flap member -8' which is" swingably secured tothe lower part of the member 7 as by means of.- hinges The stakes 10 and 10 of thefabric' are held in. desired spaced relation by being clamped between the flap member 8 and the rearward upstanding portion- 7fof the member 7, their lower ends resting upon the ledge 7". In order tightly to grip and hold the stakes, I have pro vided a number of thumb screws 11. n .In the present instance, it'is desired to.

have thefiller strand pass over and under alternate stakes and-I shall describe the method and. apparatus with such a fabric in view, but I wish'it to be understood that the hinges 14.. Thumb screws 15 are this is by-lway of illustration and not by way of limitation; v Alternate stakes 10 projectupwajrdly beyond the intermediate stakes'lO and-their upper ends'are clamped against a bar 12 by means of the flap member 18 which is, secured thereto by means of rovided for tightening the flap l3. The bar 12 is attached to the end members 16 and 17, respectively, that upstand from and are and 6, as by means of the pivots 18. and 19 respectively. Thus the bar 12 can be swung from one side to the other of the central vertical position, and when thus swung acts to move alternate stakes away from the initial or vertical plane (as is show in Fig. 2). At this time one of the previously 'crimped or shaped filler strands can be insertedby simply, dropping it in place oin the shed thus formed. .In order tightly to pack the, filler strand ,i. e. move it into intimate relation to the preformed fabric, 7 I prefer to provide the packing-bar 21 which is vertically slidable upon the end standards 20 and 22,, respectively. This may be moved vertically to accomplish this function. V

, In order to break the stakes,si. e. cause them to bend properly when the frame or barl2 isswung from one side to the other I prefer to providea longitudinal bar member 23 which is provided with" alongitudinal slot 24 through which' the stakes project. This bar is slidable upon the standards 20 and 22 and may be fixed thereto by means of the set screws 2-1. This bar hereinafter termed a breaker bar may be moved' upwardly as the weaveprogresses.

In order to limit the swinging movement of the standards 16 and 17, I prefer to pro-- vide the frame members 5 and 6 with upstanding portions havingspaced stopportions 25 and 26 (see Fig. 2 V

With the mechanism herein shown a large expanse of fabric. can "be quickly and easily produced. Sosoon as it iscompleted,'mem

bers f8 and Bean be released :and the en'- tire fabric removed, at which 'timelthe Japparatusis ready to receive an'other'set of stakes for the production of another fabric, V as hereinbeforedescribed; 7

'I' claim: y

1. An apparatus for producing reed fab no and the' like embodying 'thereinineans for gripping the ends of a plurality of stakes thereby holding them in spaced re lation, means for gripping the opposite ends of desired stakes, said lastmentioned grip. ping means being mounted for swinging movement, and means for bre'akingia. group of stakes that are swung by said swmgable means.

V 2. An apparatus'for producing reed'fab' ric'and the like embodying therein'means for gripping the ends of a plurality of stakes thereby holding' them in spaced relation, I means for gripping the opposite ends of12 desired stakes, said last mentioned gripping means belng mounted for swinging move- .ment, means for breaking a group: of

stakes that are "swung by saidswingable means, and means for a djusta bly holding 1 said breaker. means. 1 I

' 3. An apparatusfor producing ree'd fabric and the like embodying thereinmeans for gripping the ends offia plurality. of stakes thereby holding them in spaced rela 1 tion, means for gripping the opposite ends of desired stakes, said last mentioned grlpping means being 'mounted for swinging movement, means for breaking a group of stakes that I are swung by said swingable means, and a-packer bar arranged for reciprocatory movement. a

4. An apparatus for producing reed fabric and the like embodying therein means for gripping the ends of a plurality of stakes thereby holding them in spaced relation, means for gripping the opposite'ends of desired stakes, said last mentioned grip ping means being mounted for swinging movement, an adjustablebreaker bar for breaking a group of stakes that are swung by said swingable means,.and a packer bar arranged for reciprocatory movement.

5. An apparatus for -producingreed fab rio and the like embodying therein means 7 for gripping the ends of a plurality of 1 stakes thereby holding them in spaced relation', means" for grippingthe opposite ends of desired stakes, said last mentioned gripping means being mounted for swinging movement, and means for breaking a group moving said flap inclamping direction.

6. An'napparatus for producing reed fabrio and the like 'embodying'ftherein means for gripping the ends of {a plurality of stakes thereby holdingthem in spaced relation, means for gripping the opposite ends of desired stakes, sa d last: mentioned gripping means being mounted for swinging movement, 'and -means forv breaking a 7 group of. stakes that are swung by said swingable means, said breaker means be-'" 'ing formedofabar having a slot adapted to accommodate thestakes,

In testimony 'Whereof,.I; have hereunto set my hand, this Sthday of ApriLIQZO.

"MARSHALL B RNfsLLoYn. 1 I 

